Pipe wrench



C. HARTMAN May 19, 1931.

PIPE WRENCH Filed Nov. 13, 1928 ll rlhr n ldrl I if! iPetented May 19, 1931 UNETED STATES PATENT GFFICE PIPE WRENCH Application filed November 13, 1928.

This invention relates to improvements in pipe wrenches of the sliding jawtype, and consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as herein described and claimed.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of the type described, which possesses a small number of easily manufactured and assembled parts which will not get out of order and which can be easily and cheaply replaced on occasion.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the type described which has no projecting parts upon the back thereof and which consequently can be inserted into constricted places and used where existing types of such wrenches cannot be efiiciently used.

The invention resides chiefly in the elimi- 2 nation of the usual outermost jaw-ended pivotal rack and the making of the outer jaw rigid with the lever handle, the corresponding opposing jaw member being made transversely slidable outwards in a guide against the action of a spring and with uniform angularity with the opposite jaw.

The invention is more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which are attached to and form part of this application, and in which;

Figure 1 is an edge view of the device.

Figure 2 is a side view of the same.

Figure 3 is a section of the sliding jaw taken on the line 3-3 in Figure 2.

Figure 4: is a plan of the sliding jaw as shown in Figure 3.

In these views the numeral 5 indicates the stock or handle of the tool, terminating in the fixed jaw 6 which is serrated in order to provide a grip upon a pipe or object of circular section. The stock 5 is intermediately extended laterally at 7 to form a hollow guide of rectangular section for the sliding member 8, which moves in a recess 9 formed in the inner edge of the stock 5.

Serial No. 319,036.

The member 8 has out upon its edge a thread or rack 19 which is adapted to be engaged by a worm 10 rotatably mounted in bearings 11 in the stock 5. The rotation of the worm 10 by the finger of the operator causes the member 8 to move longitudinally with respect to the stock 5 and thus to approach or recede from the fixed jaw 6.

The member 8 carries slidably mounted upon its upper side a jaw member 12 which can move transversely across the end of the member 8 and which is grooved, as shown in section in Figure 3, and further secured by the screw 18 so that while free to slide transversely, it cannot be detached from the memher 8 when assembled for use.

The jaw member 12 is serrated similarly to the fixed aw 6, and forms the complementary or opposing contact member whereby the pipe or other'object is gripped between the jaws of the device. The jaw member 12 is further inclined to the jaw 6 so that a gripping effect is provided between the jaws when pressure is put upon the handle 5.

The jaw 12 is kept at the end of its travel furthest from the stock 5 by means of the leaf spring 14, which is anchored by the screw 15 to the member 8, and passes through the guide 7, its free end engaging at 16 with the jaw 12. When, however, the tool is caused to grip a pipe or like object between the aws 6 and 12, the jaw 6, as a result of the pressure, slides toward the stock 5 until the projection 17 abuts against the bottom of the recess 18 in the stock 5, thus causing the jaws 6 and 12 to tighten upon and firmly grip the object between them.

The initial distance between the jaws 6 and 12 is easily and quickly set for any particular size of pipe within the range of the device by means of the worm 10 and rack 18, after which the device is used in the manner of a pipe wrench to grip and rotate any object placed between the aws 6 and 12.

The operation of the tool is such that in consequence of the angularity between the I jaws being constant in value, and the jaw itself being slidable in a guide, the. general action is more precise and therefore more-delinitely under Control than with the common form of pipewrench.

7 Having now fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to be protected in by'Let-ters Patent, is:

1. In a pipewrench comprising a lever member having at its extremity a right angular; upturned inwardly serrated jaw, a

transverse aperturefor the reception of, a

worm, and a longitudinal tubular aperture and slideway for the reception of a slidable rack'a-d apted to engage said" worm, the combination of a slidably movable serrated jaw 7 member angularly disposed to and opposing the corresponding serratediportionozf the upiturned extremity of said lever member, a-

- grooved: slideway on the transverse end! surface of saidslidable'r'ac'k. adapted to engage said movable ja'w'member, spring means-on slideway and against a' removable stop" on jaw,l.allz substantially as described:here' in-.- 1

said slidable rack tending to slide said movable ja w outwardly along? said end grooved said movable -21 Inipi-{e wrenches,a:stoclroriliandlememher having. integrally formed therewith; a fined aiw at one end and -a lateral extension ad acent Said fiXGClJflW and spacedtherei rom,

said lateralextension having a longitudinal passage; therethrough and; a" transverseaperture toone side of and communicating with said passage, a worm mounted: in said trans verse aperture, a rack bar sliding in said; long-itudinal passage and of greater length: than the-length-oii said passage and'having a rack portion; engaging: said worm, said rack bar having movement in said longitudinal passage'l'ongitudinally andalso laterally toward andif'romsaid Worm, a movable jaw member slidahly ,inountedl on that end of said: rack. bar which is adjacent said fixed-jaw to slide in and out toward: and fromsai'd stock, means to limit the outward sliding movement of said movable jaw member, and a single meansconti-nuously tending to move said slidable jaw member away from said stock;

3.1111 pipe: wrenches, a stock or handle member having, integrally formed therewith a'fi xed jaw at one end and a lateral extension l adjacent saidfixedjaw'andspaced therefrom, saidlate ral: extensionhaving a longitudinal passagefltherethrough and a transverse aperture to one sideof and communicatingwith saidpassage, a worm mounted in said 1 transverse aperture, rack bar sliding in said longitudinal passage .and 03B greater length than the length ofsaid passage and having: a rack portion engaging said worm, said rack bar having movement in said longi- V tudinal passage longitudinally and also laterally' towardian'dfrom said worm, a movable 

